I could hear voices outside in the living room. Dimitri's deep, soulful timbre, as well as the intonation of female and male tones. Listening carefully, I could discern Eddie, Adrian, Christian, Lissa, and Tasha as well as Abe.

We'd arranged to meet at our suite, Meredith and I helping each other get ready in her room. I suspect Lissa was disappointed I hadn't gone to get ready with her, but she was staying in a suite with Christian and Tasha, and I really didn't want to share my preparations with scarface.

"You go first!" I hissed to Meredith. I wanted to get a lay of the land before I stepped out.

Had Lissa said anything to Tasha? Was I going to be able to step into Dimitri's arms as his partner, or would we keep up the illusion there was nothing more than camaraderie between us? We'd already decided not to openly be a couple at the ball - both of us feeling it was dangerous to disclose our relationship publically when I'd only been a Guardian for a few hours. Far better to wait until the allocations had been decided.

I stepped back as Meredith opened the door to her room and emerged.

"Guardian Edwards, you look wonderful," Abe said solicitously, stepping forward to embrace her and kiss her on both cheeks before passing her across to her escort. Peeking through the door jamb, I was happy to see Eddie compliment her liberally. The two of them looked so handsome together.

"Is my daughter in there?" Abe teased, pretending to peek around the door and setting the scene for my reveal.

It had taken Meredith and me an hour to do my hair and makeup. An elegant upstyle, it was deceptive in its simplicity. Miroslava had stressed that less was more – and that I would look my most alluring if I held back a little.

"I am, Baba," I said, stepping into the doorway clutching my small evening bag, letting everyone see me. If I had hoped for a reaction, I wasn't disappointed.

"Darling! You are a vision," Abe said reverently, giving no indication he'd already seen me in the dress at my final fitting. He took my hand and twirled me before kissing both my cheeks.

"You have to say that! You're my dad!" I giggled.

I could blame the bottle of champagne Abe had sent for Meredith and me to enjoy as we'd dressed, but that wasn't the cause of my excitement. Dimitri's smoldering gaze was solely responsible for that!

He looked at me like I was the only source of light in a place of deepest darkness. All his hopes and cares were held within his eyes. I'd never felt more beautiful, or more admired than I did at that moment. Abe carefully passed my hand across to my Russian God who, honestly, was still staring. Not that I was any better. If Dimitri in his uniform was hot, Dimitri in a suit was even hotter!

He slipped his arm around me, his large palm resting on the small of my back. Neither of us said anything as we stood facing one another, our eyes locked saying what words couldn't.

"Rose you look so beautiful," Lissa said breaking the silence, and I felt the smallest pang of envy through the bond. But my caring friend recognized she'd had many moments to shine, and this was pretty much a first for me, so as I turned to her she swallowed her jealousy and stepped forward to air-kiss my cheek.

"I haven't said anything to Tasha," she said quietly enough that no one else would catch it.

"Thanks, Liss," I said – ostensibly responding to her first comment.

"You girls look just adorable," Tasha said in a voice that was manifestly condescending. "Adrian? I'm sure you won't mind escorting such a lovely looking girl to the dance," she said gesturing to where I stood with Dimitri's arm still wrapped around me. "Dimka? Since we're both going solo, I thought we could go together tonight?"

It was an awkward moment. Everyone in the room seemed to understand Dimitri was my escort. Well - other than Tasha that is.

"Sorry, Tash," he said, barely looking at her. "Rose is my partner tonight."

"But I'd be delighted to escort you, Lady Ozera," Adrian said gallantly, stepping forward and offering his arm with just the smallest smirk. Tasha accepted it reluctantly, but we all knew it wasn't the start to the evening she'd hoped for.

Pavel and Emil were standing silently on either side of the door like a pair of matching bookends. I gave them both a tentative smile, surprised to see the latter respond. Vika and Paul were there, too, the former taking the photos Olena had demanded. I was glad for the distraction – it gave me time to take in the scene in front of me.

Baba looked surprisingly normal in a black evening suit. He still had one of his trademark scarves on, but even that wasn't in its usual retina burning hue. Adrian also looked debonair in his suit, a waistcoat in emerald green bringing out the color of his eyes.

I'd nearly choked when I saw what Tasha had chosen to wear. She'd obviously intended to create an impression, and in what she'd selected, she'd certainly do that!

Her dress had two parts – a sequined halter neck top in blues and greens, the fabric was open in a deep V all the way to her waist where it joined a wide yoke. The bottom of the dress was a deep blue and ankle length but had two large slits, one over each leg. Even standing naturally, the fabric gaped, exposing her long slim legs all the way up to her hips. When she walked or danced, I imagined the display would be even more… extreme.

She was slim enough to carry the dress off, even if the top did show what she didn't have more than what she did. She'd finished the look off with a fake tan, heavy makeup and her hair out in a tousled, sexy style. She'd gone for blatant sex appeal, and the overall effect was certainly very different to how the rest of our party was attired! The sad thing is, I'm sure she'd spent a lot of time and money attempting to look that cheap.

"Thanks for partnering her tonight," I said in an undertone to Adrian as Lissa, Christian, and Tasha were busy being photographed by Vika.

"My pleasure, little Dhampir," he said with a rueful smile. "If I can't shock Aunt Tati by turning up with you as my date, the second best thing is turning up with someone who's dressed like a tabletop dancer!"

I elbowed him in the ribs playfully, but I couldn't suppress a small snigger. Trust Adrian to come out and say what everyone else was thinking!

Lissa looked pretty in her jade green dress. It was empire line, with ruching over the chest, and made the most of her slim, pretty figure. But it was nothing compared to my gown. Miroslava's words were coming back to me, and I saw what she meant about not looking like a girl at her first dance or showing off too much skin. I should never have doubted her.

"Rose you are the most breathtaking woman I have ever seen," Dimitri whispered admiringly into my ear as we stood side by side waiting for the final photographs to be taken. I smiled at him sweetly. I didn't want anyone's approval but his – and the look of wonder and desire in his eyes when he'd seen me had been all I needed to know.

By the time Vika had photographed us in every possible combination, it was 7.30 pm and time for us to make our way down to the auditorium. Paul would be staying on the sofa in our suite tonight, so Vika was going to hang out with him and watch TV until we returned. He should be well asleep by then, but we didn't want to leave him alone in a place where he was unfamiliar.

Bidding them goodnight, Dimitri helped me down the long corridor, steadying me as we approached the stairs and lift.

"Sorry – there's no way I'll be able to manage four flights in five-inch heels," I explained apologetically to the assembled company.

We were waiting an age for the elevator – people on the lower floors claiming it before it had a chance to reach us on the upper floor.

"This is ridiculous," Dimitri muttered after we'd been waiting a few minutes. "Rose – put your arms around my neck. I'll carry you down!"

Without any further warning, my Russian God scooped me up into his arms, effortlessly holding me bridal style across his chest. I couldn't help a giggle as my man easily negotiated the stairs, our companions following in our wake. I thought it was very sweet and romantic, and by the scowl on Tasha's face, she thought so, too! Her heels were every bit as high as mine, yet no one offered to assist her.

"Thank you, Dimitri," I said a little breathlessly when he carefully set me back on my feet on the ground floor.

"My pleasure, Rose," he replied, his sensuous lips caressing my name. His eyes dropped to my lips, and I could tell he wanted to kiss me, but we held back.

"Let's get this show on the road," Tasha snapped once she reached the last step, a distinct frostiness in her voice. "And next time, Rose, if you can't walk in the shoes, don't wear them!"

Meredith lifted an eyebrow, and Eddie's eyes widened slightly at the not so subtle rebuke. But I smiled, watching as Tasha walked off in front of us, teetering on her own very high heels and clutching Adrian's arm to steady herself.

The courtyard where we'd had punch and sandwiches earlier in the day was lit with pretty fairy lights, and groups of Moroi and Dhampir in their finery were greeting one another happily. Inside the auditorium had been transformed from a graduation area into a beautiful dance space complete with a live band. Waiters were wandering around with trays filled with champagne and canapés.

"We should say hello to Aunt Tatiana," Adrian said, snagging a couple of flutes of champagne, passing one to Tasha. "Get it over and done with."

"Would you like champagne, ангел?" Dimitri asked, bending so his lips were close to my ear.

"Maybe a little later." We were going up to greet the Queen, and she would no doubt be surrounded by important people. Despite not yet being allocated, I didn't want to be seen with a glass in my hand as soon as I arrived. It didn't give a favorable impression.

We followed Adrian to a small raised area to one side where Her Majesty was seated, flanked by Guardians Sokolov and Croft as well as her Imperial Guard. The first two stood as our group approached. Adrian, Tasha, Lissa, Christian and Abe at the front, Eddie, Meredith, Dimitri and I standing a respectful distance behind with the on-duty Guardians Pavel and Emil.

"Adrian!" Tatiana greeted enthusiastically, smiling at her favorite nephew. I saw her take in Tasha's attire, and while not a muscle on her face changed, something in her eyes suggested she, too, found the display unseemly.

"Tasha," she said coolly before continuing to give more friendly greetings to Lissa and Christian.

"Abe," she said, pretending to notice my father for the first time, although I saw her place him the moment we'd walked up.

"Your Majesty," Abe said, approaching where she sat, taking her hand and kissing it while bowing deeply. It had the look of a long familiar move – part of a game where they both knew their parts well.

"Your beauty and charm only increase with every passing year," he said solicitously.

"As your tongue grows ever glibber," she retorted facetiously.

"You wound me, Tatiana," he said with a surprising degree of familiarity. But he wasn't offended. They sounded like two old friends. She gestured behind him, acknowledging us for the first time.

"And your daughter, I'm led to believe? Graduate of the year? You must be very proud," she continued, beckoning Dimitri and me forward where I curtseyed, and he bowed.

"She has her mother's talent," Abe explained.

"Lucky she has her looks, too," Tatiana joked fondly to Abe in an undertone. "Congratulations, dear," she said in a louder voice to me. "Such an achievement."

"Thank you, Ma'am," I replied.

"And these are your mission companions? Belikov? Castile? Edwards?"

I had to hand it to her – nothing got past Tatiana – but I was surprised she could so readily recall their names.

"That's right. Equal second and third-ranked graduates," I said proudly, not missing the opportunity to voice my friends' achievements. "And we were all trained by Guardian Belikov, so it's thanks to him we've done so well."

"Then it seems celebrations are in order," she said graciously, waving a server forward with a tray of glasses. Adrian and Tasha were already finishing their second drinks and replaced them with fresh glasses. The rest of us took flutes when bidden. When your monarch proposed a toast, you complied!

"To new beginnings," Tatiana toasted, raising her glass.

We repeated her words, and while Adrian and Tasha downed their glasses in one or two gulps, the rest of us sipped demurely.

"Excuse me, Auntie," Adrian drawled after we'd endured a little more small talk. "The band is starting, and if I'm going to keep up with this vixen, I need to have some food before we start to dance! I'm sure many of the men here are dying to witness such an…" he paused, as though fumbling for a word – but Adrian was hardly pissed enough for his urbane façade to falter this early in the evening, "attractive woman dance!"

He gave his great-aunt, our monarch, a wicked grin; and the only one who didn't appreciate Adrian was enjoying the spectacle he was creating was his scar-faced, barely clad escort. Tasha grabbed and downed a fourth flute of champagne, and artlessly handed her empty glass to a surprised Guardian Sokolov before allowing Adrian to drag her off toward a server distributing hors-d'oeuvres.

"What an unusual woman," Sokolov commented sardonically, watching Tasha as she walked away.

"I could seriously spend all evening this way," I cooed happily as I was safely back in Dimitri's arms, letting him lead me around the dance floor. While we'd had as many dances together as we could, he'd had to relinquish me to my father, Guardian Sokolov, Eddie, Ryan, Christian, Adrian, and Artyom. Likewise, I'd had to bear him dancing with Meredith, Elizaveta, Lissa, Celeste, Chelsea, and more often than I'd like, Tasha.

I'd been dancing with Abe when she first managed to score a song with my man, and her attempts to cozy up to him were as unapologetic as they were blatant. I wanted to go over there and knock her block off, but Baba promised me he'd do his best to keep her busy.

After that, Abe's Guardians, and a series of lecherous Moroi men had mostly kept Tasha occupied on the dance floor, yet much to my chagrin she'd still managed to get away and locate Dimitri more than once.

"I'm sorry, Roza," Dimitri crooned as he held me as close as propriety allowed. "Please don't let Tasha ruin this evening for us. I'll speak with her again tomorrow and tell her about us. She needs to know I'm taken and that this behavior needs to stop."

"She does," I agreed, smiling at him amiably. I wasn't going to let Tasha sour my mood. After all, I was the one cradled in Dimitri's arms, and I'd be going home with him later tonight, too. "What were you and Lissa talking about?"

They'd shared consecutive dances, and had been deep in conversation the whole time.

"You didn't listen in?" he asked, referring to my ability to slip into Lissa's head at will.

"I was tempted, but you know – five-inch heels dancing backward in a long dress - it doesn't go well with tuning out. I didn't want to kill myself!"

He chuckled.

"She was quizzing me about us. She wanted to know if I really loved you, and that I planned to stick by you."

"What did you say?" I gasped, wishing I'd sat the dance out and focused on their little chat.

"I told her no man tells Zmey they're in love with his daughter unless they plan to stay with the girl or part with their manhood."

I tittered. Dimitri wasn't typically so forthright, and it was hard to imagine my conservative man saying that to my equally conservative best friend, but he had a point.

"And you? You and Christian were deep in conversation?"

"He thanked me not for telling Lissa he knew about us, and how he refused to have you as his Guardian."

"Why didn't you tell her?"

"I was worried she was going to feel betrayed. If she knew we'd both kept it from her, she'd have no one to turn to."

"And you hoped to guilt Christian into having you as his Guardian?" he teased.

"Yeah. There was that too," I admitted.

"Has he given any indication of his thoughts on the matter?"

"Not really. He said he's open to at least considering it, but wants to talk it through with Liss."

The song ended, and Dimitri had returned us to the side of the room when Guardian Croft appeared.

"Guardian Hathaway – may I compliment you on how lovely you look this evening? I was wondering if you're free for the next dance?"

"Thank you, Guardian Croft," I replied. "That would be lovely."

Croft had barely led me to the edge of the dance floor when I saw Tasha swooping in on my boyfriend. By this time she'd had so much to drink I was surprised she was still standing, but there you go. I hated leaving him, but Dimitri was a big boy – he could look after himself.

"Ninety-six is one of the highest training scores I've ever heard," Croft observed pleasantly as we danced. He was a good dancer, and I was relieved he kept his grip light and his hands exactly where they should be.

"I was surprised," I confessed. "I'd hoped to rank well, but it was a higher score than I'd anticipated."

"Sokolov showed me the reports. You earned it. I hope you intend to take part in the elimination fights?" He was going to say more when Tasha and Dimitri danced past – although I use the term danced loosely. My poor man looked like he was fighting a losing battle with an octopus! He was doing his best to keep Tasha at arm's length, and she was equally as determined to cuddle up with him.

I frowned, looking around the dance floor. My eyes brushed across Adrian's where he stood to one side with a group of Royal Moroi, laughing as he watched Tasha's pathetic attempts to ensnare Dimitri. He smirked at me, and I knew this was partially his doing – he'd been encouraging Tasha to drink to excess all evening! I shot him a withering look, my eyes continuing until I spotted who I was looking for.

"Guardian Croft? Would you mind dancing us over in the direction of my father?"

Abe was not far away, and he was dancing with Her Majesty! I didn't have time to ponder when and how they'd developed such a familiar and easy stance with one another – I had a message to convey.

"Excuse me your Majesty, Baba?" I interjected quietly when Croft brought us alongside the couple.

"Yes, kiz?" Abe said with a fond smile.

"Baba, I was wondering if you could perhaps ask a couple of your Guardians to help Lady Ozera back to her suite? I think she might have had a little too much to drink, and I'd hate her to do anything she might regret in the morning."

The four of us looked across to where Dimitri was attempting to offload Tasha back to the edge of the dance floor while she was trying to tug his very unwilling form out for another round.

"Leave it with me," he promised, artfully leading Tatiana away to the side of the room where Pavel stood on guard.

"That was kind of you," Croft observed. "It's not like she's your charge or you're on duty."

"They come first," I murmured, as though that explained everything.

A/N - I'm sorry it's late - I was away for a couple of days. To make up for it, I've put pictures of Lissa and Tasha's dresses up on my Facebook page:
facebook com / swimmingthesamedeepwaters (link on my profile page if that's easier). Thanks for your patience and don't worry - there's a lot more excitement to come yet :D